Groundhog Daze
by Mahler Avatar
Summary: Kim and Ron are called in to investigate the mysterious disappearance of the groundhog Punxsutawney Phil, for without him, Groundhog Day may never be the same. But then things start to get even weirder... Rated T just to be safe.
1. Morning

_I've been meaning to write this fic for a little over a year now, and since today is Groundhog Day, now's the time. Booyah! So, enjoy this dark (but not too dark) little mystery, and I should add, inspired by some of whitem's Twilight Zoney tales. And should you leave a review I promise a response, and maybe a hint of what's to come. Or perhaps whatever has already happened, as the case may be..._

* * *

 _ **I.**_

Kim's clock radio clicked on, announcing yet another day. Normally she would have just set the alarm the night before, but snow had been forecast, and with the possibility of a snow day, she wanted to sleep in a bit if it all possible. So before retiring, she had set her radio on the local news channel.

"Good morning, Middleton!" the broadcaster cheerfully announced.

Kim expectantly sat up in bed, hoping to get the news she wanted so badly to hear.

"It's February 2nd, and in spite of the snow flurries we had last night, they were rather mild. So for all you kids out there expecting a snow day, better luck next time…"

She groaned, but resigned to her fate she got up and started getting ready for school.

The announcer continued, "And better luck next year for the residents of Punxutawney, Pennsylvania. We've just received word that Punxutawney Phil, the famous weather-prognosticating groundhog, has gone missing."

"Whoa! That's not very good news," she mused.

"The local authorities are mystified as the police noted no signs of a break-in, but are conducting a search of the surrounding area for any sign of the missing groundhog."

Beep-beep- _bee_ -beep…

Her Kimmunicator signaled with its signature ringtone, and she had a strong feeling what Wade was calling about.

"What up, Wade?"

"Hey, Kim. Missing groundhog in Punxutawney. The local police chief would like you there asap."

She slowly wagged her head. "Sorry, Wade, but I've got an Advanced Placement English exam this morning. I was hoping for a spankin' snow day so I could have a chance to study a little more, but no such luck. But maybe first thing this afternoon if you can score a ride for me."

"Will do, Kim. I'll let you know."

* * *

 _ **II.**_

Ron was once again late for his first class, and decided to risk making a quick detour through Middleton High's D hall. He would instantly regret it, running right into a huge bully, even bigger than Tiny, so he wouldn't be getting around him easily.

"What's the hurry, Stoppable?" he snarled.

"Uh, late for class. Muy importante, so if you don't mind…"

"Oh, but I _do_ mind, Stoppable," he chided. "So cough up your lunch money and we'll call it even. But just for today."

Ron checked his pockets, but they were empty, save for his pet naked mole rat, Rufus.

"Sorry," he answered with an apologetic shrug, "but I'm a little light today. I'll be happy to give you a raincheck, though." He added with a grin, "Or, considering the weather, how about a snowcheck?"

The bully smirked, "Oh, you think you're _funny_. Let me show you what I think about funny guys with no cash to pay the toll."

Ron tried to back away, "Listen, if you can cut me a break this time, I'll be sure to…"

But he was cut short as the bully picked him up and deposited the luckless teen into the nearest trash can.

"Oh, man," he groaned. "That smarts. Now I'm late _and_ I smell like garbage…"

"Poor Ron," commiserated Rufus.

Ron dragged himself into class a few minutes later, hoping that Mr. Barkin would be busy at the chalkboard, but this was not to be.

"Stoppable!" he barked. "Late again? That makes it two days in a row, and the month's just started." His voice dropped to a growl. "One more time and we'll just be seeing you in detention, won't we?"

"Oh, man," he whined. "I've really got to get up earlier."

Kim whispered, "Ron, what happened?"

"Oh, just another run-in with a bully in D hall. Same old, same old."

"Yeah," she replied, plugging her nose. "Phew! And with the same result, getting dumped into a garbage can I see. Ron, you've really got to stand up for yourself more. You don't seem to have problems like this when we're on missions, do you?"

"Nah, but that's because I have _you_ with me, KP. I always have a little more self-confidence when you're around."

This elicited a smile from Kim but a frown from Mr. Barkin. He cleared his throat for attention and announced, "If you two are quite finished, let's get on with today's subject matter, shall we?"

He flipped on the overhead projector, displaying a man in a top hat and tuxedo, holding a large, furry groundhog.

"In honor of Groundhog Day, we'll be reviewing the history of both the creature and the event, placing them in historical context. And yes, you _will_ be tested on this."

The class groaned in unison at his announcement.

"Everyone should be familiar with the basics of the faux holiday: every year on February 2, Punxsutawney Phil, the country's most beloved seasonal prognosticator, sticks his head out of the ground after a long winter in hibernation. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter will follow. But if he doesn't, we can all look forward to an early spring."

He smugly continued, "His track record, however, isn't very good. Sine the first American Groundhog Day in 1887, Punxsutawney Phil has only made a correct prediction 39% of the time. Not a very good average at all."

This brought a chuckle to the class. Ron whispered, "Hey Rufus, even you could do better than that just by flipping a coin!" To which the tiny rodent nodded in vigorous agreement.

Mr. Barkin continued, "Now, the origin of Groundhog Day actually goes back thousands of years and across many cultures, and originally badgers or hedgehogs were the animal of choice. Also, the celebration date of February 2 wasn't chosen arbitrarily: this date is astronomically significant as it's known as a 'cross-quarter day,' lying halfway between the winter solstice and vernal equinox, or the point at which days begin to grow noticeably longer, and was seen as an auspicious date in both ancient pagan and Christian European traditions. The Irish Celts, for example, celebrated it as _Imbolc_ , the symbolic return of light after winter. The Celts are believed to have passed it on to the Romans during their occupation of the British Isles, who in turn passed it on to the Germanic tribes they came in contact with, who were the ancestors of Punxsutawney's original settlers, the Pennsylvania Dutch."

He broke out in an evil grin as he revealed his next tidbit of information. "And although the current day Punxsutawney Phil is treated as veritable royalty, the original Punxsutawney residents celebrated with a groundhog hunt followed by a delicious Groundhog Picnic at which the cuddly little rodents that were caught were then served up as the featured item on the menu."

This elicited a tiny scream from Rufus, who quickly dove back into Ron's pocket. Ron turned to Bonnie Rockwaller with a grin and suggested, "Hey, Bonnie? Maybe that's the secret ingredient in the cafeteria lady's mystery meat."

Instantly turning a lovely shade of green, she unsteadily got to her feet and made a dash out the door to the restroom.

Kim giggled, "You are evil, Ron Stoppable."

"Yeah," he agreed, "but only high school evil. I'd still have a long way to go before getting to the Drakken stage…"

* * *

 _ **III.**_

James Possible was literally on the edge of his seat. Due to a snow flurry that morning, the latest rocket launch had been delayed, but now all systems were green, and it was a go for launch.

"Finally. Good thing too, since the next launch window isn't until tomorrow."

The countdown began. "10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2..1... Liftoff!"

The rocket spewed out an intensely bright white flame and began to ascend. Faster and faster it climbed into the sky, until it was miles high and nearly out of sight. He continued to cross his fingers as the rocket disappeared into the morning sky.

Also viewing the spectacular launch with eager anticipation, his associate Dr. Robert Chen phoned in from the control tower.

"Congratulations, James! Telemetry just announced the rocket's flawless insertion into a perfect orbit. Magnificent job as always."

Mr. Dr. P let out a breath of deep satisfaction. "Thanks, Bob. Luck was with us today. And _launch_ is on me, heh-heh."

Bob silently rolled his eyes at James' pun. "Roger that. Our usual place?"

"Absolutely. See you at noon sharp."

Half jokingly, he thought to himself, _"And considering today's success, I think I'll forego sending poor hapless Ron into a black hole on the next launch. He really does have Kimmie Cub's best interests at heart..."_

* * *

 _ **IV.**_

Outside the Middleton Medical Center, the marquee announced, "Ask For Our Specials." It had been a busy morning, but Dr. Ann Possible was still perky, buoyed by not one, but two completed and flawless brain operations.

Her adjutant heartily congratulated her. "Dr. Possible, I must say that you're certainly on a roll today, even more than usual. Everything went according to plan, and without a hitch. In all likelihood, another two patients will now live to their full life expectancy."

Ann acknowledged her gracious compliment. "Thanks for the props, Nurse Chapelle, but I've still got one more operation to perform this afternoon. But considering how the first two operations went, I think it's safe to be optimistic. I just hope I'm not jinxing myself by saying that. Kimmie looks up to me more than I think she realizes, and I've always promised myself I'll never let her down, and I'm not about to start now. Just like that wonderful Ron Stoppable, who's always had her back, and I hope always will."

She fondly thought, _"Thank God for Ron, I really do hope they'll get together on a permanent basis someday. He'd make such a great son-in-law..."_

* * *

 _ **V.** _

After lunch, Kim and Ron were winging their way at long last toward Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania in a supersonic US Naval transport.

Kim thanked the pilot. "We really appreciate the lift, Major Kronos, especially on such short notice."

"My pleasure, Kim. It's the least I could do after you repaired the Atomic Clock at the US Naval Observatory. Without that, the entire world's GPS systems could have been negatively affected."

"No problem, Major. Nothing that my microlaser lipstick and a bobby pin couldn't fix."

Ron smiled back at her. "Yeah, Kim, you really _are_ the girl who can do anything. Oh, by the way, how do you think you did on your AP English test?"

Kim frowned. "Not as well as I hoped. I think I got my past and future tenses mixed up on a couple of questions. If I had it to do over I'm sure I would do a little better."

Ron tsked, "Kim, Kim, Kim. You're always so hard on yourself. I'm sure you did fine, so just chill out."

Suddenly her Kimmunicator beeped its characteristic tone, and a concerned Wade appeared on the tiny screen.

"Kim, better switch to the news. Sounds like the word on Phil's disappearance has gotten out."

A dark haired reporter appeared. "This is Tricia Lipowski reporting from Puxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The nation is in shock after learning that Puxsutawney Phil, the groundhog famous for his predictions of impending spring or continued winter, is missing. Our nation is in shock, and a few weather officials are suggesting we skip the season of spring entirely and declare an immediate summer."

Ron became as pale as a sheet and began babbling, "Kim! That would be a total disaster! That could knock the Earth completely out of orbit and plunge us all into the sun, causing universal Armageddon!"

Kim gave him a casual roll of her eyes and replied, "So not the disaster, Ron, so calm down, please? The declaration of a few weather scientists isn't going to cause the Earth to spin off into space. But we _do_ need to get to the bottom of this before everyone really starts to panic."

Wade came back online. "Too late, Kim. Take a look at tonight's 'Investigative Discovery Channel' lineup."

Kim's mouth dropped open at the lurid title. " _Suspicious Suspects: The Case of the Missing Groundhog._ Wow, this is really bad, Wade."

Ron nodded in agreement. "Yeah, I'll say. No originality to that show at all. Just a blatant attempt to capitalize on the sensational aspect of the sitch, Kim."

"Uh, Ron, I actually meant that people in general might start to panic. But TV shows like this can't possibly help matters…"

* * *

 _ **VI.**_

After parachuting down, they made a pinpoint landing on Gobbler's Knob, the tiny hill where Puxsutawney Phil's annual weather prognostications were made public. And in spite of the disturbing news of Puxsutawney Phil's disappearance, at least a few thousand Groundhog's Day revelers still stuck around, hoping for the best. And even if not today, there was always tomorrow...

Anxiously waiting for Team Possible stood a dapper individual dressed in a top hat and tuxedo, who extended his hand in eager greeting.

"Thank you so much for coming, Kim. My name is Bill Deeley, and I'm the president of _the Inner Circle_."

"The _Inner Circle_?" she questioned.

Ron whispered to her, "A select group called the _Inner Circle_ takes care of Phil year-round. They also plan the annual ceremony, at least according to Mr. Barkin's lecture today."

Without missing a beat, she replied, "A pleasure to meet you, Mr. Deeley."

"So I suppose you'd like to start with the scene of the crime?" Mr. Deeley asked, motioning to his car. "The library where Phil and his friends live most of the year is just a few miles from here."

As they drove through town, Kim marveled at several huge statues of Puxsutawney Phil adorning the sidewalks and street corners. "Wow, that must have taken quite a lot of work to build those."

"Yes," answered Mr. Deeley. "There are thirty-two 6 foot high statues that we call the Phantastic Phils. We started erecting them in 2004, and they've been quite a tourist attraction ever since."

Upon entering the library, Kim took a careful look around at the large cage where Phil had lived. Only three groundhogs remained, including Phil's 'wife,' Phyllis. "So, what can you tell us, Mr. Deeley?"

"Well, not too much, actually. I arrived late last night to take Phil to Gobbler's Knob in anticipation of the annual show, but he was nowhere to be found, and the cage was still locked. We also found no signs of forced entry to either the library or the cage. I'm grateful that at least the others weren't taken."

Ron queried, "Uh, could he have tunneled out somehow?"

"No, we've found no tunnels of any sort. Besides, the floor is made of concrete, and none of the others escaped, which means he had to have been taken by someone. No fingerprints either, other than mine or those of the handler responsible for feeding and watering the critters and maintaining the cage."

Kim thought for a moment before posing the obvious question. "Pardon me for asking, but could this have possibly been an inside job?"

Mr. Deeley wagged his head. "Highly unlikely, Kim, as there's no discernible motive. None of the _Inner Circle_ nor the caretaker would have had anything to gain, and a considerable amount to lose should Phil go missing."

"Well, kidnapping, perhaps?"

"At first we suspected that, but there was no ransom note, if that's what you mean. And if Phil was indeed kidnapped, there's been no phonecall yet demanding a ransom, so I seriously doubt that. But there was one clue left behind which I believe indicates a crime has been committed, and which I haven't revealed to the public."

He held up a flash card with the number 60 on it. The blood in Kim's veins froze. "Ron, does this look familiar to you?"

Ron fearfully looked over the card. "Yeah. And if it's who I'm thinking, this could be a bad thing. A _very_ bad thing."

Kim immediately picked up her Kimmunicator. "Wade, we've got something. Please scan this flash card and tell me if you pick up anything unusual about it?"

"Right away, Kim."

A soft blue light from the Kimmunicator bathed the card in its glow for several seconds. Wade's sharp intake of breath revealed he had found something.

"Kim, I'm picking up residual traces of tachyons."

"Tachyons? What the heck are tachyons?"

"Time cooties, Kim."

Kim snorted. "There's no such thing as time cooties, Wade."

"Yeah, I know. Just pulling you leg. But there's little doubt now who the perp is."

Ron's eyes narrowed. "Yeah. The Mathter has returned."

* * *

 ** _TBC in one week... Promise!  
_**


	2. Deux Over

_In regular sci-fi stories (sorry Wade!), Groundhog Days typically repeat themselves exactly, and the protagonists usually figure that out fairly quickly and modify their actions to either test or try to change said events. But as you'll discover, this isn't your typical Groundhog Day tale. Even so, no matter_ what _day it is, if you leave a review I promise a reply, and maybe a hint of what's to come. Or perhaps not, depending on the time of day, especially as it gets closer to midnight...  
_

 _But first, a grateful nod to those who have read and reviewed so far: Invader Johnny, MrDrP, CajunBear73, Eddy13, Sentinel103, EchidnaPower, Jimmy1201 and Sharper the Writer.  
_

 _And now it's time for Take Two. The clock is ticking...  
_

* * *

 _ **I.**_

Kim's clock radio clicked on, announcing yet another day. Exhausted, she had returned to Middleton late the previous night, now with a fairly good idea of who might be behind the disappearance of Punxsutawney Phil. And she had full confidence that with Ron's help, together they would solve the mystery and put things back to right, just like they always had. Or so she thought.

"Good morning, Middleton!" the broadcaster cheerfully announced.

Kim sat up in bed, yawning widely and eager to face the new challenges that this day would bring.

"It's February 2nd, and in spite of the snow flurries we had last night, they were rather mild. So for all you kids out there expecting a snow day, better luck next time…"

Now fully awake, Kim's eyes shot wide open. "What the... that's yesterday's news! Unless the station prerecorded that bulletin and accidentally stuck the wrong tape in."

The announcer continued, "And better luck next year for the residents of Punxutawney, Pennsylvania. We've just received word that Punxsutawney Phil, the famous weather-prognosticating groundhog, has gone missing, along with his 'wife' Phyllis and the two other groundhogs being cared for at the same location, the children's section of the Punxsutawney Memorial Library."

Kim gasped, "Wait a minute, that's not what happened yesterday! Only Phil was missing, but now _all_ of them are?"

"The local authorities are mystified as the police noted no signs of a break-in, but are conducting a search of the surrounding area for any sign of the missing groundhogs."

Beep-beep- _bee_ -beep…

Her Kimmunicator signaled its signature ringtone, and she had a bad feeling what Wade was calling about.

"Uh, what up, Wade?"

"Hey, Kim. Missing groundhogs in Punxutawney. The local police chief would like you there asap."

Kim felt a cold chill go up her spine and thought, _"Did I only dream the events I remember from yesterday, or did the entire last 24 hours somehow just flip back?"_

She decided to play it safe. "Uh, what day is it Wade?"

"February 2nd, Kim. Groundhog Day."

Kim paled, but didn't let her face express any shock at the news. She thought to herself, _"I better play it safe and play along for the moment until I figure out what's really going on..."_

Out loud she waffled, "Uh, sorry, Wade, but I've got an Advanced Placement English exam this morning. I was hoping for a spankin' snow day so I could have a chance to study a little more, but no such luck. But maybe first thing after lunch, that is, if you can score a ride for me and Ron?"

Wade smiled back. "I'm on it, Kim. I'll let you know."

* * *

 _ **II.**_

Ron was once again late for his first class, and apologized to Rufus. "Oh man, I thought I had set my alarm fifteen minutes earlier after yesterday!"

Just like the day before, he decided to risk making a quick detour through Middleton High's D hall. But his luck was still poor, this time running right into not one, but two bullies.

"What's the hurry, Stoppable?" the shorter one snarled.

"Uh, sorry guys. Late for class again. So if you don't mind…"

"Oh, but we _do_ mind, Stoppable," the huge one from the day before mocked. "So cough up your lunch money and we'll call it even."

"But only for today," warned the other.

Ron checked his pockets, but they were still empty, save for Rufus.

"Sorry," he answered with an apologetic shrug, "but I'm a little light again today. Still, I'd be happy to give you a snowcheck, just like I promised yesterday."

The shorter one gave the bigger one a perplexed look and muttered, "Yesterday? What the heck is he talking about?"

But he figured that Ron must be pulling his leg. "Oh, so you think you're a _funny_ guy, huh? We'll just show you what we think about funny guys with no cash to pay toll."

Ron tried to back away. "Whoa, wait a minute, if you can just give me a break..."

But he was cut short as the huge bully grabbed him, slamming the twice luckless teen into the nearest trash can.

"Oh man, not again," he groaned. "Late for class for the third time this month, still smelling like garbage, and now Barkin will have a royal cow and toss me into detention, just like he promised!"

"Poor Ron," commiserated Rufus.

Ron dragged himself into class a few minutes later, hoping that maybe he could sneak into his seat, but this was still not to be.

"Stoppable!" barked his instructor. "Late again? That makes it two days in a row, and the month's just started." His voice dropped to a growl. "So we'll just be seeing you in detention this afternoon, won't we?"

"Sorry Mr. Barkin!" he whined. "Just waylaid by some bullies on my way to class, not my fault!"

Kim carefully whispered, "Ron, what happened?"

"Oh, just another run-in with _two_ bullies this time in D hall. Same old, same old."

"Yeah," she replied. "But wasn't it just _one_ bully yesterday?"

"Right, but what does _that_ have to do with the price of rice in China?"

Kim's eyes narrowed. "Ron, I think the price of rice in China has just skyrocketed."

Mr. Barkin cleared his throat for attention and announced, "If you two are _quite_ finished, shall we get on with today's subject matter?"

He flipped on the overhead projector, displaying a man in a top hat and tuxedo, holding a large, furry rodent.

"In honor of Groundhog Day, we'll be reviewing the history of the event, placing it in historical context. And yes, you _will_ be tested on this."

The class groaned in unison at the announcement. But Kim and Ron immediately exchanged a puzzled look.

Ron whispered, "KP, am I losing it, or did he give us this same lecture yesterday?"

Her fears confirmed, she replied, "You're not losing it, Ron. So either _he_ is, or else this day's somehow had a reboot. But it's only affected us, since none of the rest of the class looks the least bit surprised."

Mr. Barkin began, "Everyone should be familiar with the basics of this bogus holiday: every year on February 2, Punxsutawney Phil, the country's most irritating weather predictor, sticks his head out of his pitiful little hole after a long winter in hibernation. If he sees his shadow, six more weeks of winter will supposedly follow. But if he doesn't, an early spring will presumably occur."

He smugly continued, "His track record, however, isn't very good. Sine the first American Groundhog Day in 1887, Punxsutawney Phil has only made a correct prediction 39% of the time. And since 1969, the average falls to a mere 36%. A very poor average, I should say."

This brought a chuckle to the class. Ron whispered, "Hey Rufus, I'd bet you could do better than that by just by flipping a coin!" To which the tiny rodent chattered back, giving him a questioning look.

"Yeah, I guess I _did_ say that yesterday..."

Mr. Barkin continued, "Now, the origin of Groundhog Day actually goes back thousands of years and across many cultures, and originally badgers or hedgehogs were the animal of choice. Also, the celebration date of February 2 wasn't chosen arbitrarily: this date is astronomically significant as it's known as a 'cross-quarter day,' lying halfway between the winter solstice and vernal equinox, or the point at which days begin to grow noticeably longer, and was seen as an auspicious date in ancient European religious celebrations."

He flipped to the next slide, a rather lame looking candle. "Beginning in the fourth century, Christians have celebrated it as Candlemas, or the Feast of the Presentation of Jesus. Part of this celebration involves the blessing of candles to be used in the coming year. Rather significantly, the English, the French and the Germans believed that good weather on Candlemas is believed to predict a long winter. The Germans in turn passed it on to the ancestors of Punxsutawney's original settlers, the Pennsylvania Dutch, who then transferred both the tradition and weather prognostication onto the local fauna, replacing hedgehogs with groundhogs."

Ron raised his hand. "Uh, Mr. Barkin, what about the Celts and the Romans?"

Mr. Barkin heaved a deep sigh. "What _about_ the Celts and the Romans, Stoppable?"

"Well, yesterday you said that the most ancient Groundhog Day traditions started with the celebration of Imbolc by the Celts, who then passed it on to the Romans."

The class could actually hear Mr. Barkin's teeth grinding together. "Stoppable, yesterday's lecture was on meal preparation of wild game, presented by the cafeteria lady. Oh, which reminds me."

An evil grin spread across his face as he continued, "And although the current Punxsutawney Phil is inexplicably treated as royalty, the original Punxsutawney residents celebrated with a wild groundhog hunt followed by a delicious groundhog picnic, where the captured little varmints were served up as the main course."

Rufus screamed in fear and made a beeline right back into his master's pocket. Suspecting something was amiss but recalling yesterday's events, Ron turned to Bonnie Rockwaller with an evil grin of his own. "Hey, Bon-Bon, I'll bet you a dollar that groundhog is the secret ingredient in Middleton High's mystery meat."

Instantly turning a deep shade of green, Bonnie clapped one hand over her mouth and rushed out the door to the restroom. But she couldn't quite make it, tossing her cookies in the hallway right outside the classroom.

Kim paled, also recollecting the events of the prior day. "Ron, please think carefully. Do you remember the same thing happening yesterday?"

"Yeah," he agreed, "But yesterday I think Bonnie actually made it to the girl's bathroom."

Ignoring his glib remark, Kim whispered, "Ron, I think we have a problem. A really, really _big_ problem."

* * *

 _ **III.**_

James Possible was on the edge of his chair. The latest rocket launch had been delayed several times that morning thanks to a number of snow flurries, but now that all systems were green, it was a go for launch.

"Finally. Good thing too, since the next launch window isn't until tomorrow."

The countdown finally began. "10...9...8...7...6...5...4...3...2..1... Liftoff!"

The rocket spewed out a bright yellow flame and began to rise into the sky. Faster and faster it climbed, until it was miles high and nearly out of sight. But just as it had reached 50,000 feet, the rocket exploded, raining down tiny shards of metal far downrange of the launch.

"Aw, cheese and crackers," he complained. "I really thought it would make it all the way into orbit. Oh well, back to the drawing board. Maybe those snow flurries had something to do with it. But first, I'd better go over the telemetry."

Dismayed but not defeated, he slowly got up and began the walk over to the control tower, where he hoped that Dr. Bob Chen might have some answers. As he watched the falling debris trail tiny plumes of smoke, he couldn't help but imagine Ron being on the doomed rocket.

He instantly chided himself, "No, Ron's all right. I just don't like him and Kimmie dating. Because _no_ one's good enough for _my_ Kimmie-cub."

* * *

 _ **IV.**_

Outside the Middleton Medical Center, the marquee cheerfully announced, "16 Days Without a Fatality!" It had been a very busy morning, and Dr. Ann Possible was feeling the strain. Her first brain operation of the day had been successfully completed, but not without considerable effort.

Her adjutant put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Dr. Possible, that was a difficult operation, but thanks to your skill, you've saved another life."

Ann acknowledged her compliment, but knew how close it had been. "Thanks Nurse Chapelle, but I've still got another operation to perform this afternoon. And considering how this one just went, I'm not terribly sanguine about how that one will turn out. I just hope all will go well, and not only because of the patient. It's because I know how much James and the kids look up to me, especially Kim. I'd feel terrible if I ever let her down. Just like Ron Stoppable, who tries his best, even though he can be so clueless at times."

She uneasily thought, _"I really do wish the best for them, but I wonder sometimes if they're really right for each other. Well, once Kimmie goes off to college, maybe that will cool their relationship a bit..."_

* * *

 _ **V.**_

After lunch, Kim and Ron were winging their way at long last toward Punxsutawney in a C-130 turboprop transport. She had finally convinced Wade that Team Possible hadn't gone crazy and were actually replaying the day before, albeit with minor changes, even though neither Wade nor anyone else except Rufus seemed to be affected.

Kim thanked the pilot. "We really appreciate the lift, Lieutenant Kronos, especially on such short notice."

"My pleasure, Kim. It's the least I could do after you repaired the Atomic Clock at the US Naval Observatory. The entire world's GPS systems were totally on the fritz until you could fix it."

"No problem, Lieutenant. I'm just glad I could fix it before any real damage was done."

Ron smiled hopefully back at her. "Yeah, Kim, you still are the girl who can do anything."

"Yeah, and I hope that includes fixing this latest sitch."

"I'm sure it will, Kim. By the way, how do you think you did on your AP English test today, with the extra help you got from taking it yesterday?"

Kim frowned. "Not as well as I thought I would have, considering I took it just yesterday. I remembered a lot of the questions, but some of them had changed, so it was basically a wash: probably no better, no worse."

Ron tsked, "Well, there's always tomorrow."

Kim shuddered. "Yeah, that's exactly what I'm afraid of."

Suddenly her Kimmunicator beeped its characteristic tone, and a concerned Wade appeared on the tiny screen.

"Kim, check the latest news. It sounds like Puxsutawney Phil isn't the only groundhog that's gone missing."

The iconic brunette reporter appeared. "This is Tricia Lipowski reporting from Puxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The nation is in shock after learning that Puxsutawney Phil, the groundhog famous for his predictions of possible spring or continued winter, is missing. And now we're receiving reports from all over North America that _any_ weather predicting groundhogs have also gone missing. These include Georgia's General Beauregard Lee, holder of two honorary doctorates in Weather Prognostication and Groundology; Nova Scotia's Shubenacadie Sam, whose geographic location in the Atlantic time zone gives him an early edge in the weather prediction game each year; and Louisiana's Pierre C. Shadeaux, the Cajun Sensation."

Pictures flashed by of each groundhog, ending on one that was snow white in color. "But still missing after several years is Ontario's Wiarton Willie, the albino groundhog whose brief career was cut short by a terrific scandal involving the murder of two of his groundhog understudies. Since both had mob connections, the FBI quickly became involved, finally matching DNA from Willie's fur taken from his handler's brush with a strand of fur found in a 1975 Mercury Cougar driven by longtime friend Charlie "Woodchuck" O'Brian. O'Brian has continued to deny any allegations of ever being involved in Willie's disappearance or that Willie had ever been a passenger in his car. Willie was later rumored to be buried in the end zone of New York's Giants stadium, but after being thoroughly scanned with ground-penetrating radar, this theory was dismissed, and the case remains open."

She concluded, "But with today's developments, the entire North American continent is in total shock, and a majority of weather officials from both the US and Canada are urging that we skip the season of spring entirely and declare an immediate summer."

Ron became as pale as a sheet and began babbling, "Kim, without those weather-predicting rodents, the earth could get stuck in either an eternal winter or a never-ending summer, ultimately dooming the whole world!"

Kim gave him a casual roll of her eyes, "Like I said yesterday, so not the disaster, Ron. But this sitch is definitely getting weirder by the day, so we really need to get to the bottom of this before the rest of the world _really_ starts to panic."

Wade came back online. "Too late, Kim. Take a look at tonight's 'Investigative Discovery Channel' lineup."

Kim's mouth dropped open at the lurid titles. " _Suspicious Suspects: The Case of the Missing Groundhog,_ followed by _Nightmare Down the Street: When Groundhogs Go Bad_." Wow, this is getting worse by the minute, Wade."

Ron shuddered in agreement. "Yeah, and if today repeats again but gets even _more_ wrongsick..."

He left that thought hanging while Kim replied, "Ron, this might not end in a permanent seasonal change, but it could end up really bad. We've got to find out why this is happening, and quick."

* * *

 _ **VI.**_

After parachuting down, they made a pinpoint landing on Gobbler's Knob, the tiny hill where Puxsutawney Phil's annual weather predictions were announced. But instead of the thousands of Groundhog Day revelers from the day before, there were now only a few hundred hangers on, taking full advantage of the cut-rate prices at the concession stands thanks to the day's sad turn of events. Waiting for them stood a man wearing a top hat and tuxedo, accompanied by a police officer. The man extended his hand in greeting.

"Thank you so much for coming, Kim. My name is William Deeley, and I'm the president of the _Inner Circle_."

Already knowing what the Inner Circle was, she simply shook his hand and replied, "Nice to meet you, Mr. Deeley."

"And this is our local police chief, Constable Hobble."

The constable politely tipped his hat. "A pleasure, miss."

Kim and Ron exchanged a knowing glance. Ron couldn't help but ask, "Uh, pardon me, Constable, but are you any relation to Officer Hobble of the Middleton PD?"

"Yes," replied the lawman. "He's my cousin. We're proud that law enforcement runs in the family."

Mr. Deeley motioned toward the waiting patrol car. "Well then, shall we start by inspecting the scene of the crime? The library where both Phil and his friends live most of the year is just a few miles from here."

"Sounds spankin," Kim agreed.

As they drove through town, Kim noticed only one statue of Puxsutawney Phil adorning a single street corner, where there had been twenty-four the day before.

"Wow, nice statue." Almost afraid to ask the obvious question, she swallowed hard. "And, uh, are there any more like that, or is that the only one?"

"No, that's actually the single example," answered Mr. Deeley. "A local sculptor created it in 2004, and although more were planned, he disappeared without a trace shortly thereafter."

Ron gasped and replied in a hushed tone, "Kim, there were tons of those things around yesterday! What could have happened to all them?"

"A good question, Ron..."

Soon they were at the library, and Kim took a careful look around at the large cage where Phil and the other three groundhogs had lived, including Phil's 'wife,' Phyllis. "So, what can you tell us, Mr. Deeley?"

"Well, not too much, actually. I arrived late last night to take Phil to Gobbler's Knob in anticipation of the annual show, but neither he nor the others were anywhere to be found. The cage was still locked, and we found no signs of forced entry to either the library or the cage."

Ron queried, "Uh, could they have tunneled out somehow?"

"No, we've found no tunnels of any sort. Besides, the floor is made of concrete. And no fingerprints either, other than those of the handler responsible for cage maintenance and feeding the critters."

Kim paused for a moment, already knowing who the culprit probably was, but not willing to announce it quite yet. "So, do you think this could have been an inside job?"

Constable Hobble wagged his head. "Not likely, Kim, as there's no discernible motive. I've interviewed the handler already, and he has a solid alibi. And everyone else would have had a considerable amount to lose should Phil and his friends go missing."

"Then kidnapping, perhaps?"

"Well, no ransom note was left, nor any phone call demanding a ransom, so I seriously doubt that. But there was one rather suspicious clue left behind which I haven't revealed to the public."

He held up a flash card with the number 61 on it. Just like yesterday, Kim froze in place. "Ron," she whispered. "This looks exactly like the flash card from yesterday, except it's a 61 instead of a 60."

Ron fearfully looked over the card. "But what could it mean?"

Kim instantly activated her Kimmunicator. "Wade, we've got something very similar to..." She almost said 'yesterday' but quickly caught herself. "Similar to that, uh, other time. Would you scan this flash card and tell me if you pick up anything unusual, please and thank you?"

"No problem, Kim."

The Kimmunicator analyzed the card, and Wade's sharp intake of breath revealed he had found something surprising.

"Kim, I'm picking up residual traces of tachyons."

"Tachyons? So, like time cooties maybe?"

"Hey, _I_ was going to make that joke..."

"Sorry, so not in the mood, Wade. But can you scan this room and tell me if you pick up any other tachyon traces?"

"Sure, no problem." This time, a wide angle blue beam bathed the entire room.

Wade nodded, "Yes, Kim. Definitely lots of lingering tachyon radiation, especially in the cage."

Kim turned toward her two hosts and announced, "I have a strong feeling that your groundhogs were abducted, and a pretty good idea about who's behind it. But I'm still not sure of the reason, so Team Possible's going to need to do some more legwork before we can solve this sitch."

Mr. Deeley pleaded, "But if you think you know who the perpetrator is, can't you tell the police and ask for their help?"

Kim wagged her head. "Trust me, I'm afraid the police won't have any idea where to look for your missing critters."

"Or _when_..." Ron mumbled.

"So we're going to have to do some more research first, but we'll be in touch. I promise we'll get to the bottom of this."

Since Wade couldn't snag them a ride back to Middleton, Kim and Ron found themselves on a late night flight on a commercial jet. But they were still able to hold a clandestine convo with Wade in their attempt to crack the case of the missing groundhogs.

Ron turned the flash card over in his hands. "So, this definitely looks like the handiwork of the Mathter."

"And that residual tachyon radiation indicates some sort of time manipulation is involved," Wade added.

"Time travel," Ron grumbled. ""It's a cornucopia of disturbing concepts." A puzzled look came over his face. "Or have I said that before? Getting a real sense of deja vu here, KP."

Rufus moaned softly in agreement.

Kim queried, "Yeah, but why is it that only you, me and Rufus are repeating days? Why not Wade or anyone else?"

Ron scratched his head. "Well, we _were_ the only people who had direct contact with the Mathter. Wade wasn't physically there."

Kim's eyes widened. "Yes, but your father was, which gives me an idea. Wade, can you get Mr. Stoppable on the line, please and thank you?"

"Right away, Kim."

In a few moments Ron's dad picked up the phone."Hello?"

"Hi Mr. Stoppable. This is Kim."

He hesitantly replied, "Uh, hello Kim. What's up?"

"Just a quick question. Have you personally experienced anything... unusual since yesterday?"

The line remained silent for a moment before Mr. Stoppable continued. "Well, uh, yes I have. But if I told you exactly what, you would think I had lost my mind."

"Try me. Perhaps you, well, relieved the same day all over again?"

Again the line was silent for a moment before Mr. Stoppable sharply exhaled. "Yes, Kim, I did. But there were a few differences, and not for the best."

Ron jumped in. "Dad, we've experienced the same wrongsick thing ourselves, and now we're positive that the Mathter's behind it. He left behind a flash card with a '60' on it yesterday, and then one with a '61' on it today. Now, you're an actuary, so do these numbers mean anything to you?"

"Hmm, not offhand. Maybe the years 1960 and 1961?"

Kim asked, "Wade, could that mean anything?"

Wade's fingers flew across his computer keyboard. "Cross referencing with all current data..."

But after a few moments he wagged his head. "Sorry Kim, nothing specific comes up."

Ron began tapping his chin. "Wait a minute... Yesterday Mr. Barkin was lecturing on the origins of Groundhog Day, and said that the Celts probably started weather forecasting with hedgehogs as part of some pagan ceremony, called, uh..."

"Imbolc," Kim finished. "And the Romans picked up on that from the Celts, who eventually influenced the Germans."

"But today, Mr. Barkin didn't make a single mention of the Celts or Imbolc, and when I asked him about it, he looked at me like I had grown a second head."

Kim brightened up. "That's right, he did. Wade, cross reference the Celts and Romans with the numbers 60 and 61."

After a moment Wade exclaimed, "Bingo! In either 60 or 61 AD, a queen named Boudica led a revolt of the her Celtic Iceni tribe against the occupying Romans, and sacked what's now London and burned it to the ground. In a panic, the Roman Emperor Nero almost abandoned England, but the Roman Governor Gaius Suetonius Paulinus led his troops in a successful counterattack against heavy odds. Queen Boudica perished shortly thereafter, but it's not known if it was due to illness or if she died by her own hand in order not to be captured by the Romans. The Romans remained in control for another 350 years before abandoning England in order to fight the Germanic tribes on the European continent."

Kim thought for a long moment. "So, do you think that the Mathter's unethical math experiments finally paid off, somehow allowing him to break the time barrier? And then finding a way to prevent the Celts from sharing Imbolc, and ultimately Groundhog Day with the Romans?"

"Well, that's our best theory at the moment. But Queen Boudica was defeated, Kim. How could a Roman victory lead to Groundhog Day disappearing?"

"That's a real good question, Wade. Maybe he found a way to let her win but keep Groundhog Day to themselves?"

Ron shuddered. "Or maybe find a way to totally wipe out the Celts."

Wade nodded in agreement. "That's entirely possible, Ron. If he brought back any future tech with him, even simple stuff, that could potentially change the whole balance of power and alter the course of history."

Kim scoffed, "But why go to all that trouble? And for a simple groundhog?"

Ron shrugged. "He's a villain, Kim. Why does _any_ villain do what they do? Power, riches, revenge, the list goes on and on."

Kim growled, "Well, this is _one_ villain whose days are numbered."

Ron snorted, "I knew I could _count_ on you, KP."

Wade merely rolled his eyes. "And you say _my_ jokes are bad..."

Kim giggled, "Well, they are, Wade, but right now we need to find the Mathter, or at least where his jumping off point was."

"Got it, Kim. Now scanning his last known lair, which was at zero degrees latitude, zero degrees longitude, in the Eastern Atlantic Ocean: the Bay of Guinea to be exact."

After a moment, Wade declared, "Yup, it's still there. And wow! Intense tachyon radiation readings, Kim. They're almost overwhelming all of my electronics. And there's lots of time displacement in that very same area. Looks like we have our location."

"Great job, Wade! Now if you can just find us another ride to his HQ, the Mathter's time may be up. So, how long will it take us to get there?"

Wade didn't look hopeful. "Well, it all depends on the ride, but it won't be until tomorrow morning at the earliest. And since it's almost midnight..."

Kim looked down at her watch and gasped. "Less than sixty seconds now, Wade. But since we're all wide awake this time, will we be spared another time flip, or will this sitch repeat itself all over again?"

Ron whined, "Which means we'll be back at Square One one more time!"

Rufus added his own little moan, while Wade tried to do some quick calculations.

"Good question, Kim. Since we don't know by what process this is all happening, it's anyone's guess."

"Well, we'll all find out in about 10 seconds..."

Kim felt a sudden wave of dizziness, which quickly passed. But the next thing she became aware of was her clock radio clicking on. She was back home in her bed, and groaned as she suddenly sat up.

"Good morning, Middleton!" the broadcaster cheerfully announced.

She put her head in her hands. "Oh, no. Not again..."

* * *

 _ **TBC...**_


	3. Deja View

_Hello again and Happy New Year to all in the Kimmunity! As promised, here is my way overdue update. And about time since you gracefully voted this Best Short Story in this year's Fannies. Thanks so much! And since it's been so long, you might want to re-read the first two chapters again to get a sense of continuity, as this sitch is devolving (will devolve? Has devolved?) day by day as new days are repeated. Or something like that. And those days are getting darker as you will soon see..._

 _I'm already working on the next chapter and should have an update in January, and hopefully about one a month thereafter, concurrent with Beyond the Stars. That's my New Year's resolution at least. Let's see how well I stick with it this year..._

 _And as always, my thanks to last chapter's reviewers: CajunBear73, MrDrP, Invader Johnny, Librana, Eddy13, Sentinel103, Jimmy1201, MI-Drift, Guest, and Tito-Mosquito. You all make the effort worth it..._

* * *

 _ **I.**_

Jerking upright in her bed, Kim grabbed her Kimmunicator. "Wade! Are you there?"

"Right here, Kim."

She took a deep breath. "Super. Now, I know this is going to sound crazy…"

"But you've gone back a day in time, right? Well, somehow I have too."

Kim gushed excitedly, "You too? That's great news, since I'll need all of your skills to figure this wrongsick sitch out. But how?"

Wade surmised, "Hard to say, but since we were both in contact at the same time on our Kimmunicators, that might have had something to do with it."

"Well, good to know for future reference. So you know now that I'm not crazy. And now I don't have to go over everything again with you and prove I haven't gone totally bonkers, so that's big relief. Well, at least I think it is…"

Ron awoke in his bed, now beginning his third Groundhog Day. "Oh, man, this really tanks! And I'm late for school, again? But I've gotta catch up with Kim at school, just like before…"

Jumping into his clothes, he grabbed the unsuspecting Rufus who let out a little yelp of surprise, and quickly stuffed the tiny rodent into his side pocket.

"Sorry Rufus, but there's not a moment to lose!"

The naked mole rat chuffed at Ron's impatience, but quickly mumbled, "S'all right…"

Ron jumped onto his scooter and floored it. Soon he was travelling at its terrifying maximum speed of …

"Wow! 12 miles an hour in just under 15 seconds! That's a record, Rufus mah man!"

As Ron victoriously pumped his fist in the air accompanied by various and sundry hoops and hollers, Rufus hung out of Ron's pocket, still half asleep. He yawned widely, giving a half-hearted wave and mumbling, "Whatever…"

Ron grumbled a cursory reply, "Hey, chill out, Rufus. It's still faster than walking. But not by much..."

Suddenly, the whoosh of a rocket-propelled car was heard.

"Ron, throw your scooter in the trunk and lets roll!"

He grinned widely and exclaimed, "Way to go, KP! Punch it!"

He jumped into the car, and with a roar Ron was pushed back into his seat as Kim set the thrusters on high. Poor Rufus felt the skin on his head stretch back, his teeth exposed and eyes bulging due to the quick acceleration. But this was exhilarating for tiny rodent, and he proclaimed a joyful "Wheeee! Do it again, Kim-Kim!"

She couldn't help but smile as they swiftly approached Middleton High. After a perfect touchdown, they both sprang out and raced towards class. But Ron stopped short, suddenly remembering something.

"Oh, Fuji! Sorry Kim, need to pick up my homework out of my locker. Barkin will assign me detention for sure if I skip it."

Kim huffed, "Well just hurry. Who knows what's going to happen today, but I'm sure it's not going to be too good."

Just like before, Ron tried to cut through D hall, but was stopped short by a small crowd of frowning students.

He spat out, "Bullies. I HATE these guys!"

The leader among them grinned evilly. "Stoppable, you've been warned before, so cough up." He tauntingly wiggled his fingers, certain that Ron would cave as always.

But finally having reached his limit, Ron growled back, "SO not in the mood, guys."

Now under threat, he had no problem in activating his Mystical Monkey Power. With a powerful whoosh, he cranked it up, a look of deadly confidence on his face.

"Hmm, eight to one odds. But my power is one bon-diggity equalizer."

Baring his teeth in a wide grin, he challenged the mob in front of him. "Sure you want to take me on? Last chance to leave in one piece."

A few of them looked scared and began to back up a bit. But their leader wasn't about to be intimidated.

"Get him!" he yelled.

The entire gang rushed Ron, certain that their superior numbers would crush him. But they were easily held at bay by a mystical blue shield that he spontaneously threw up.

"Coolio," he remarked. "I gotta remember how I did that."

Ron grinned as he hooded his eyes, taunting them in a sing-song voice. "Don't say I didn't _warn_ you…"

And with a simple extension of his arms, each one of the bullies went flying off in every direction. Their leader was was tossed headlong into a trash can. He desperately but unsuccessfully tried to extricate himself, his feet thrashing futilely in the air. All of the others suddenly decided they wanted nothing more to do with Ron and hightailed it out of the hallway.

He powered down, humming happily to himself as he made his way to class.

"Note to self for future reference: it's really easy to activate my monkey power when under some kind of threat."

He entered confidently entered his class just as the bell rang, sitting down next to Kim and under the fierce glare of Mr. Barkin.

"Cutting it a bit close wouldn't you say, Stoppable?"

Ron proffered a weak smile, but was grateful for Kim's help in finally making it to class on time.

"First time in three days that I've been here on time, Kim." he whispered. "Or is that just the first time today? All these repeats have my time tenses completely mixed up…"

Kim put a finger to her lips for him to stop just as Barkin harrumphed for attention.

"Well, I was going to discuss the history of the ancient Britons and Romans with a slide presentation today, but someone broke into the school last night and stole the slide projector. But for some reason they left the film projector behind, so we'll be watching a movie instead. However, due to recent budget cuts, the only film available is… _Ghost Car_."

The entire class gasped in horror, but no one more than Kim and Ron. Ron's hand shot up.

"What is it now, Stoppable?"

"Uh, Mr. Barkin, I was really looking forward to your exposition on the history of Groundhog Day."

Barkin winced. "Riiight. Nice try in trying to kiss my…" He stopped short, cocking one eyebrow. " _What_ day?"

"Groundhog Day, Mr. Barkin! When Punxsutawney Phil pops out of his hole every February 2nd, and predicts six more weeks of winter if he sees his shadow."

Ron was met by stony silence from Barkin, and titters of laughter from the class.

His voice dripping in sarcasm, Barkin asked, "And if he doesn't see his shadow?"

"Then springs comes early, everybody knows that, Mr. B!"

The class now broke out in unabashed laughter over Ron's reply. Bonnie couldn't help but adding, "And what about Santa Claus and the Easter Bunny, Stoppable? If they see _their_ shadows, do we get our holidays cut short?"

This time the class totally lost it, and Barkin had to yell to regain control. "All right, quiet people!" He continued with a sneer, "Stoppable, what have you been smoking?" He shot a pleading look at Kim. "Possible, make sure he gets some help, got it?"

But Kim was not smiling. Her face had turned as white as a sheet, as she whispered to Ron, "I think we're in big trouble. I'll fake being sick so we can be excused. And considering how I'm feeling now, that's not much of a stretch."

Ron whispered back, "Okay, but just one more thing…"

Out loud he said, "All right Mr. Barkin, I've had my fun, but just out of curiosity, what about the Britons and the Romans two thousand years ago? What exactly happened to them? And uh, the Cliff note version?

As Mr. Barkin began to thread the projector he explained, "Well, to make it short and sweet, there was a Celtic queen named Boudicae who tried to sack the ancient city of Londinium, but the Romans were tipped off somehow and they were soundly defeated. And soon after, her tribe was decimated by some kind of plague: anthrax, smallpox or something like that. This secured Roman rule in the British Isles for the next 400 years or so. There, satisfied now?"

Looking apprehensively at Ron, Kim hissed, "It looks like we've found the focal point of the Mathter's plot, so I think I'll be skipping that AP test today. No use taking a test that will be changing tomorrow anyway. Or today, depending on your point of view."

"Yeah, if today even still exists tomorrow," Ron somberly added. A confused look came over his face. "But Kim, if today becomes today again tomorrow, does that mean yesterday is still today, or does it mean tomorrow's yesterday is still today, or, uh… Sorry KP, my brain is starting to hurt."

"Never mind, Ron. Let's just get out of here and try to fix this mess."

As _Ghost Car_ began its terrifying introduction, Kim spoke up. "Mr. Barkin, suddenly I'm not feeling very well." _Which is actually no lie,_ she thought to herself. "May I be excused?"

Barkin frowned, but nodded in assent. "Well, since you've already seen this before, I suppose I can make an exception."

Kim grabbed Ron's hand and raced for the door.

"But not you, Stoppable!" But the two teens had already made their escape.

Suddenly the rest of the class shot up their hands, hoping to be excused as well.

Barkin growled, "But no _more_ exceptions, is that clear?"

The class responded with a mutual groan, while Bonnie couldn't help but smirk, "Well, Kim obviously couldn't stomach the thought of seeing that movie again, the wimp."

The film began. But after only a few minutes of car wrecks, blood and gore, Bonnie had reached her own limit as well. Feeling her hurl factor fast approaching, she tried to get up from her chair, but didn't even make it to the door as she had the past two repeated days. The class moaned as she lost her breakfast all over the classroom floor.

"Eww, Bonnie!" Tara whined. "And after dissing Kim for the just the same thing."

Mr. Barkin could only shake his head at the irony.

Now at a dead run toward her car with Ron right behind, Kim activated her Kimmunicator. "Wade, things are going from bad to worse on the groundhog front. Any word from Punxsutawney?"

"None, Kim," he shakily replied. "And I'm not expecting any, either. I can no longer find any record of Groundhog Day ever being observed there. And I find no record of Constable Hobble either. Switching now to a satellite view of Gobbler's Knob in Punxsutawney..."

But just a few dead leaves blew across the barren knoll, without a single person in sight.

Kim gasped. "This is getting very, very bad, Wade."

Wade's fingers continued to fly over the keyboard as he swiftly did some additional cross-checking. His frown deepened. "Not only that, there's no record of _anyone_ celebrating Groundhog Day, now... or ever."

Ron's voice was shaking now as well. "Every day, more and more of the past is disappearing. What will be next? Or who? Us?"

Kim was shocked at all these dire changes, but quickly recovered. "Not if I can help it. So it's high time we pay the Mathter a little visit. How quickly can you arrange a ride for us, Wade? We'll need to get to his lair before midnight, unless we want another daily reboot."

"I'll get right on it, Kim."

* * *

 _ **II.**_

The sign outside the Middleton Medical Center was ominous. It read, "Abandon Hope, All Ye Who Enter Here."

Inside the hospital, the mood was somber. Dr. Ann Possible sat silently on the chair outside the operating room, a few tears escaping between her fingers. A nurse gently placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Dr. Possible, you did everything you could to save that patient's life. You can't expect that every operation you perform will end in success. Life happens, but death happens too, unfortunately. And with all the budget cuts we've been experiencing lately, I'm surprised we've haven't had even more of the problems that we've experienced up to now."

Ann lifted her head, slowly exhaling and dabbing a tissue at her tear streaked face. "Thank you Christine, but this should not have happened. That brain tumor was totally operable. I just don't understand why that clamp failed in the first place, and then the second one right after it. Even so, I should have been able to repair the damage even without a clamp. But I failed."

The nurse continued to placate her. "I'm sure the review board will exonerate you and place full blame on the clamp's manufacturer. I was right there you know, and I will testify to the fact that both clamps failed."

Ann thought a moment before replying, "I appreciate that, but as the surgeon in charge, I am forced to take responsibility for whatever happens in the operating room, defective equipment or not."

Her feelings of sorrow swiftly turned from grief to one of anger, as her thoughts began to center on Kim and her blossoming romance with Ron.

"No, I think I know the underlying reason now. I allowed myself to get distracted by my concern over Kim and Ron's relationship, and this is the result. I think it's high time that James and I have serious talk with those two…"

* * *

 _ **III.**_

James Possible was on edge. As he paced the control room, he looked out at the rocket on the pad, its supercooled liquid oxygen slowly venting and condensing into small clouds of water vapor on this cool February morning. The computer simulation which had analyzed today's launch indicated marginal, but accepatable results, so he had given the final go ahead just an hour before. He had needed to abort the blast off twice that week already, and his superiors were beginning to wonder if he could really pull this off.

"Well, I guess I'll know in about ten seconds," he anxiously mused.

As the countdown descended to its final moments, beads of sweat broke out on his forehead. Launch control counted off the last few seconds.

"5... 4... 3… 2… 1… Ignition!"

Massive plumes of smoke and flame spewed out of the rocket nozzle, and the spacecraft began to rise off of the launch pad. Clenching his fists as well as his teeth, James tried to will the missle into the air. But it was all for naught. The rocket's engine began to sputter, its thrust insufficient to free it from the pad. It began to hover, then fall back onto the pad. With a terrific grinding of metal on concrete, the doomed space vehicle slowly toppled over on its side, hitting the ground and exploding in a massive fireball.

James stomped on the floor in frustration. "Aw, flippin' cheese and crackers! What could have gone wrong?"

He recalled a recent classified report identifying minor flaws in the rocket nozzle, but concluded that they were of no consequence. However, he quickly came to a different verdict, recalling the night before and where Kim had been, and who she had been with.

"Out after midnight on a school night, and with that clumsy oaf Ron Stoppable. Critical mission or not, he's bad news for my precious Kimmie-cub. Which meant a sleepless night for me, so I probably missed something important on the pre-launch checklist. Boy, am I going to get it now. I sure hope I don't lose my job over this. But job or not, I'm going to have a serious talk with Kim tonight. World-saving heroine or not, this relationship with Stoppable ends today."

A malevolent grin appeared on his face as he once again indulged in his favorite fantasy.

 _The rocket was on the pad ready for launch, Ron futilely pounding on the porthole in total silence. The newscaster announcing the first ever mission to explore a black hole. A flawless takeoff, earth orbit achieved in a just a few minutes, and insertion into interplanetary space being reached soon thereafter. Ron's voice on the radio becoming dimmer and dimmer the further the spacecraft got from the earth, until he could no longer be heard…_

James inhaled deeply, releasing his breath slowly as he savored the moment. "Ah, nirvana…"

* * *

 _ **IV.**_

As Kim was driving home, her Kimmunicator beeped, and she quickly answered. "All right Wade, what's the sitch?"

"Well, good news and bad, Kim. It seems that with every day that repeats, things are getting progressively worse worldwide, and not just groundhog-wise. Not only is crime on the upswing, but numerous military conflicts have broken out. And to top it off, it seems that the entire planet is in the throws of an economic crisis as well."

Kim observed, "Yeah, that sounds pretty bad all right. Do you think the Mathter is responsible and doing all this on purpose, or is it just fallout from whatever his evil scheme is?"

Wade scratched his chin in thought. "Well, I'd say I'm positive he's behind it all, but whether he's purposely causing it or if it's just a byproduct of his time tampering is anyone's guess."

"All right then. How about the good news? Did you find us our ride?"

Wade hesitated. "Uh, so far as a ride is concerned, I got nowhere with my usual connections. Global Justice has its hands full, as well as the military, but I did find you something that, uh, just might work."

Kim wasn't convinced. "That doesn't sound real positive, Wade. Something tells me that this might be less than ideal transport."

Wade gave her a sheepish grin. "Well, it's the best I could do under the circumstances. It's not a jet like you're used to, but it is a military plan... sort of. And it does have the necessary range to reach the Mathter's lair in the Atlantic. Your contact is Col. Jack Swift, US Army Air Force, retired."

Ron cut in. "Uh, Wade, don't you mean the USAF?"

"Nope, the USAF wasn't formed until 1947. You'll understand when you meet him and see the plane. He's actually at the Middleton Airport right now."

Kim frowned. "Okay, Wade, but I'm getting a bad feeling about this…"

As they pulled into the airport a few minutes later, they both realized what Wade had been hinting at. Before them stood a B-29 Superfortress, its silver skin shining brightly in the morning sun.

"Coolio!" Ron gushed. "This is the type of plane that made the massive air raids against the Japanese home islands during World War II!"

Kim was aghast. "World War II? Ron, this thing is over 60 years old! How is it possibly going to get us to the Mathter's lair in time, if even at all?"

"She's still got it where it counts, ma'am." From around the nose of the aircraft, an ancient but still distinguished-looking gentleman in threadbare army fatigues appeared, wiping some paint off of his gnarled hands.

"Colonel Swift, I presume?" Kim ventured.

"That would be me, the one and only," he cackled. "But please, call me Jack. And you must be the famous Kim Possible."

"Yes, that's me. A pleasure to meet you, sir. And please, call me Kim. Allow me to introduce my crime-fighting partner, Ron Stoppable."

But Ron wasn't paying attention to the Colonel, having been distracted by the freshly-painted nose art on the plane. The aircraft had been renamed "Clobbering Kim," and featured the bikini-clad heroine saucily sitting astride what appeared to be a 500 pound bomb. Kim noticed both the nose art and Ron's reaction at the same time, and was not pleased at either. Using one finger, she closed his gaping mouth.

"Down boy, it's just a little paint."

Quickly recovering, he stuttered, "Yeah, but you gotta admit that's an amazing likeness, KP."

"So, what do you think?' queried Colonel Swift. "I thought it would add just the right touch to your mission."

"Well, I, uh…" Knowing how important this mission was, Kim tried hard not to show her distaste. And nearly succeeded.

"But no offense meant, Miss Possible," the Colonel quickly added.

Ron volunteered, "Just remember Kim, nose art on American aircraft was a terrific morale booster during World War II, and made a significant contribution to our eventual victory."

After taking one look at Kim, Rufus crawled onto Ron's shoulder and whispered in his ear, _"She's not buying it…"_

Kim was still nonplussed. "Nice try, history boy, but I'm really not the Betty Grable type."

Turning to the Colonel, she replied, "Actually though, you got my hair color just right. And I do understand that this was quite common at the time, and I appreciate the, uh, compliment, but would you mind removing it once we're done with the mission?"

"Of course, Kim." the Colonel hastily replied. "But since we're in a hurry, why don't you all climb aboard and we'll be on our way, just as soon as I finish my pre-flight checklist."

Kim looked hesitant. "Jack, pardon me for asking, but is this plane, uh, safe to fly in and up for the trip? It dates from World War II after all, and our destination is thousands of miles away."

Colonel Swift gave her a positive nod. "Absolutely." He gave the plane a loving pat. "This is a historic relic, and it's been fully restored to its original condition. I tour air shows all around the country and give rides to people willing to fork over the money for an opportunity to take a flight in a piece of aviation history. And to do that, it needs to be FAA inspected and approved. I've got the papers right here if you'd like to see them."

Relieved, she replied, "No, that's okay. Just checking, no offense intended."

"And none taken, Kim. I'm always happy to make my passengers feel as comfortable as possible."

He marked one last box on his checklist. "And… we're ready. Please board up and prepare for takeoff."

Kim announced, "Well, Ron, here we go."

"Yup. Off we go into the wild blue yonder. May the wind be at our back, and remember that I'll always have _your_ back."

"Thanks Ron. Now maybe we can finally get to the bottom of this bizarre sitch."

* * *

 _ **TBC...**_

 _Well, the plot is certainly thickening. So what surprises are in store for our intrepid travellers? Tune in this January for the next exciting update..._


End file.
